Neptune Terminals on Burrard Inlet in North Vancouver is proposing to expand metallurgical coal capacity to 18 million tonnes from 12 million tonnes.

Photograph by: Ian Smith
, PNG

Port Metro Vancouver is coming under increasing pressure to hold a public review over coal terminal expansion plans that could turn the port into North America’s largest exporter of coal.

Elected officials in Vancouver, New Westminster and Delta say they are concerned that the proposals are being considered by port authorities through an internal review without adequate public consultation.

“We wouldn’t dare do something of this nature without going to full public consultation; every single piece of property that is re-developed, everything we do in this city has gone to public consultation. And they can do this without even batting an eyelash or talking to anybody apparently, except to some of our staff,” said New Westminster councillor Bill Harper.

New Westminster is immediately across the Fraser River from Fraser Surrey Docks, which wants to develop a new terminal capable of exporting from four million to eight million tonnes of coal a year from the U.S. Midwest to feed thermal coal power plants in Asia. Dust and rain run-off are issues that concern Harper.

The second proposal is from Neptune Terminals in North Vancouver, to expand its current metallurgical coal capacity from 12 million tonnes to 18 million tonnes a year. That would bring the port’s total coal export capacity — including Deltaport — to 49 million to 53 million tonnes a year.

Underlying the municipal concern is the shift among U.S. coal producers — whose plans to export from west coast U.S. terminals have become mired in environmental controversy — to Port Metro Vancouver.

Delta councillors Bruce McDonald and Sylvia Bishop said in interviews that they are in the dark over the environmental implications of the proposals. Dust is a major concern, they said.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson also raised concerns over the port becoming the largest coal exporter, in a Dec. 3 letter to Port Metro Vancouver president Robin Silvester.

“I am concerned that these proposals are being considered in the absence of full public consultation that would allow residents and businesses to have input,” he stated in the letter.

The growing dissatisfaction over the way the port is managing the coal issue is reflected in a poll commissioned by the environmental group Dogwood Initiative, which shows most British Columbians are unaware of plans to increase the shipments of U.S. coal through B.C. ports. Almost half – 47 per cent – say they are opposed to U.S. coal being shipped to Asia by way of B.C. ports.

The poll, conducted by telephone and online by Justason Market Intelligence, surveyed 539 B.C. residents between Sept. 24 and Oct. 1. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.2 percentage points, 95 per cent of the time.

Low awareness coupled with strong opposition is not surprising when there is a communications vacuum, said company principal Barb Justason.

“It’s clear there is a substantial appetite for public debate on the issue,” she said. “The reaction is largely to the word ‘coal’ and to the absence of communication; that this is not just proposed but potentially imminent.”

However, Port Metro Vancouver said it is sticking to its internal review system, insisting that it has consulted with other stakeholders and will develop procedures to address issues like dust. The review is still underway and no decision on either project has been made yet.

“We have been undertaking the kind of consultation appropriate to the projects at hand,” said Jim Crandles, director of planning for the port.

Until recently, he said, there had been only two or three replies to the port’s outreach program. Details of the expansions were outlined in a Vancouver Sun business story on Nov. 24.

“Obviously, there’s been a lot more interest in the commodity itself, so we have been receiving emails and letters from a number of folks who are most concerned about the commodity and not the projects themselves,” Crandles said.

Coal already accounts for 25 per cent of the volume of goods shipped through the port, he said.

“Canada is a resource-based economy so we are here to facilitate the movement of that trade. In looking at the specifics of the commodity itself, we know there is a public interest around that. But any debate about that commodity that moves through Canada’s ports, should really take place with citizens, industry and government.”

Regarding the Vancouver mayor’s request for a full public inquiry, Crandles said “it would appear he’s talking about the commodity” — a debate the port is not willing to enter into.

Will Horter, executive director of the Dogwood Initiative, said his organization is ramping up its campaign against coal in response to the expansion plans. He said it’s not just over emissions contributing to global warming but also over dust and associated health issues that residents will face along the route the trains take from the border, through White Rock and to Fraser Surrey Docks.

He said closures of thermal coal plants in the U.S. — coupled with opposition to exports on the U.S. west coast — have “stranded” coal. B.C. represents the best alternative to sell the product in Asia, he said, as there is little opposition to it here and a compliant government.

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